Add some zing to your post-retirement travel with an adventure trip
Mongolia is surprisingly accessible for seniors interested in a spot of adventure. Though remote, it offers several pleasing destinations that don’t take a toll on your health. If you’re an active adventure lover, then there’s no place better to head to than Mongolia on a specially designed itinerary for like-minded retirees.
You’ll get to travel the routes Genghis Khan did centuries ago, by camel, horse, jeep or on foot.
Explore cultural treasures like the Amarbayasgalant Monastery, the Ongi Monastery ruins and go off the beaten track. Soak up the grand vistas at the Flaming Cliffs, Lake Khuvsgul and the Khongor sand dunes. And if that isn’t active enough, you can fit in some kayaking and serious trekking.
Indulge in a relaxed break
The big advantage that comes with retirement is that you don’t need to worry about rushing back or missing important deadlines. You can explore every corner of this beautiful part of the world on a relaxed yet adventurous break that gives you enough time to soak up the culture, live like a local in the nomadic ger camps, camp near national reserves by the desert or lakeside or simply dive into the delectable local cuisine.
In Ulaanbaatar you could visit museums, monasteries and ruins by day or do a spot of shopping for beautiful handcrafted souvenirs from the region. Bring home feather soft cashmere or camel wool products, traditional clothing, distinctive boots, jewelry and more.
Enjoy the unique folk music including throat singing that is so particular to this part of the world. Watch musicians play catchy tunes on their horse-headed fiddles while dancers put on a performance of their ethnic dances. Later, tuck into a sumptuous Mongolian meal of dumplings buuz, noodle soup guriltai shol, stew tsuivan and cheeses.
Give back to the community on a volunteer vacation in Mongolia
Of late, volunteer travel has become more inclusive with opportunities for seniors too. Join a group to work on the restoration of one of the many Buddhist temples that were damaged during the communist invasion of the region in the 1930s. As part of Cultural Restoration expeditions like those to the Baldan Baraivan Restoration Project, you could help restore important buildings of significance to the locals while living in traditional housing and indulging in some hearty Mongolian fare.
